Study On Mechanism Of Reducing Chilling Injury In Cherry Tomato By Oxalic Acid Treatment

Cherry tomatoes are susceptible to chilling injury when stored at low temperatures after harvest. Effects of oxalic acid treatment on chilling injury in mature-green cherry tomatoes were investigated. Mature-green cherry tomato fruits were dipped in0(control) or2mmol·L-1oxalic acid solution for10min at20℃, and then stored at (4±0.5)℃for12days followed by ripening at20℃for12days. The main results were as follows:1. Oxalic acid treatment decreased chilling injury index and fruit decay effectively, inhibited the development of chilling injury, maintained good quality, reduced weight loss, prohibited the decrease process of TA during stored at20℃, but the treatment had no significant affect on firmness, SSC and content of soluble protein.2. Oxalic acid treatment enhanced the ability of anti-superoxide anion radical and CAT activity, maintained high level of AsA and activities of APX and GR associated with ASA-GSH circle, which contributed to scavenge reactive oxygen species, and thus reduce the damage of cell membrane by reactive oxygen species, decrease the accumulation of MDA, and reduce chilling injury in cherry tomato.3. Oxalic acid treatment inhibited the activities of PPO and POD that would be benefits of inhibiting browning in cherry tomato. However, the treatment had no significant affect on content of total phenols.